The WPIAL has a problem.

Top tier teams in many sports have far too many “cupcake” matchups. North Allegheny plays teams like Butler and Shaler, instead of teams like Gateway and Aliquippa. Sure, the divisions are arranged by school and team size in each sport, but a free-flowing inter-class scheduling process should be reconsidered.

For the past few years, the WPIAL has allowed teams to schedule out-of-state competition and additionally one out of class match up in football. In other sports where the classes are free-flowing, the matchups are not only diverse in competition and opponents, but also in class. Soccer, field hockey, and basketball are examples of differing classes scheduling games against lower-tier classes and against teams that are equal to the skill of them. It is a formula that football has yet to follow, and it is puzzling as to why.

Would spectators not want to see North Allegheny face Aliquippa? Or Pine-Richland face Gateway? It is somewhat baffling that teams are facing subpar competition instead of more lower-division teams that are perhaps equal to their skill level.

As it currently stands, the one inter-class game that teams have on their schedules is randomized. Gateway is facing Ringgold, who has not had a five-win season in nearly eight years. North Allegheny will face a top 5A team in West Allegheny, but Pine-Richland got Moon Township.

A higher level of competition would not only pin the best of the WPIAL against each other but also drive interest up.

“Matchups like Aliquippa vs North Allegheny would be worth watching,” senior Alex Cook said. “The scheduling of two talented teams on even levels from other classes would allow more diversity in the WPIAL scene.”

The talented matchups would no doubt drive up fan interest and truly expose the pretenders from the contenders. I’m not saying to scrap all the “cupcake” teams, but there is no way Pine-Richland, Central Catholic, and North Allegheny should face subpar competition for half of their schedule. They should be able to schedule three out-of-class games.

However, there are opposing viewpoints. As senior Blaise Burton said, “While there are some talented teams below, there are simply not enough [of them]. The higher classes lose out.”

Burton has bit of a point here, but 6A teams would still win when facing top talent regardless.

The talent of teams in the lower levels that can compete with the higher 6A teams negate the size concern. It can be argued that Aliquippa might be a more talented team than North Allegheny. Simply put, there are far too many talented lower-division teams that don’t get to face higher competition more suitable for them. These teams should be able to do that and face a higher level of competition suitable to their talent level. The 6A teams should not always have to play mediocre opponents when they can play higher level competition.

The teams win, the fans win, and the WPIAL wins. Let free scheduling commence,